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With MU, it’s all about turnovers
By Bobby La Gesse
Date Posted: 2010-02-09
Another game with Missouri. Another chance to worry about turnovers.
Iowa State men’s basketball coach Greg McDermott isn’t just worried about coughing the basketball up against the Tigers’ press. He’s just as concerned about losing the ball once the Cyclones get into their offense.
In a pair of losses to Missouri last year, ISU turned the ball over too much after beating the press. If the Cyclones (13-10, 2-6 Big 12) are to snap a two-game skid, they’ll have to protect the ball better against the Tigers (17-6, 5-3) tonight (6:30 p.m., WOI).
“Some teams fall into the trap of relaxing once you get across halfcourt,” McDermott said. “Thinking that your work is done when often times that is when they do some of their best trapping and rotating.”
Missouri’s success is predicated on its defense. It’s played a large role this year in which the Tigers, whose roster is chock-full of underclassmen, are in the thick of the hunt of an NCAA Tournament berth a year after relying on a senior-laden squad to make the Elite Eight.
They lead the nation with 12.0 steals a game and force 21.0 turnovers. They also hold opponents to 30.6 percent 3-point shooting and will look to neutralize an ISU squad that hit 40 percent of its treys.
But for the Cyclones, getting open looks takes a backseat to protecting the ball when facing Missouri.
“They are like a pack of dogs,” ISU guard Diante Garrett said. “Trapping everywhere and in each corner.”
The Tigers like to force opponents to play at a frantic pace. It can lead to quick 8-0, 12-2 runs that seal wins.
ISU has issues with momentary lapses and playing a full 40 minutes — a 13-0 second-half run by then-No. 10 Kansas State Saturday allowed them to beat the Cyclones — and forward Craig Brackins believes preventing those runs against a team that feeds off them is key.
“If you stay calm with Missouri, that is your best bet than speed yourself up to their game because I don’t think anyone is as fast as Missouri up and down because that is how they want to play,” Brackins said.
McDermott doesn’t want the Cyclones to hurry when facing the Tigers’ press. At the same time, he doesn’t want ISU to walk the ball up the floor because a passive approach won’t work either.
“You have to be able to attack the pressure,” McDermott said. “If you are not aggressive with the attack, it just fuels the fire. You have to pick your spots and attack and try to score on them as much you can.”
It’s a middle ground that McDermott wants his team to be aggressive with, whether it’s taking advantage of weaknesses in the press or converting 2-on-1 opportunities that arise when the Cyclones break it.
And the only way for ISU to do it, Brackins said, is if the Cyclones know what they’re doing each time they have the ball.
“You have to take it slow,” Brackins said. “What I mean is just thinking everything through. You can’t make passes throwing it around and making wild passes because that is what they want.”
Bobby La Gesse can be reached at (515) 663-6929 or rlagesse@amestrib.com.
Info Box
Iowa State at Missouri
When: 6:30 p.m., tonight
Where: Mizzou Arena
TV: WOI
Radio: 105.1 KCCQ
By Bobby La Gesse
Date Posted: 2010-02-09
Coach Greg McDermott and ISU men's basketball team are preparing for Missouri's pressure defense.
Tribune photo by Nirmalendu Majumdar
Tribune photo by Nirmalendu Majumdar
Another game with Missouri. Another chance to worry about turnovers.
Iowa State men’s basketball coach Greg McDermott isn’t just worried about coughing the basketball up against the Tigers’ press. He’s just as concerned about losing the ball once the Cyclones get into their offense.
In a pair of losses to Missouri last year, ISU turned the ball over too much after beating the press. If the Cyclones (13-10, 2-6 Big 12) are to snap a two-game skid, they’ll have to protect the ball better against the Tigers (17-6, 5-3) tonight (6:30 p.m., WOI).
“Some teams fall into the trap of relaxing once you get across halfcourt,” McDermott said. “Thinking that your work is done when often times that is when they do some of their best trapping and rotating.”
Missouri’s success is predicated on its defense. It’s played a large role this year in which the Tigers, whose roster is chock-full of underclassmen, are in the thick of the hunt of an NCAA Tournament berth a year after relying on a senior-laden squad to make the Elite Eight.
They lead the nation with 12.0 steals a game and force 21.0 turnovers. They also hold opponents to 30.6 percent 3-point shooting and will look to neutralize an ISU squad that hit 40 percent of its treys.
But for the Cyclones, getting open looks takes a backseat to protecting the ball when facing Missouri.
“They are like a pack of dogs,” ISU guard Diante Garrett said. “Trapping everywhere and in each corner.”
The Tigers like to force opponents to play at a frantic pace. It can lead to quick 8-0, 12-2 runs that seal wins.
ISU has issues with momentary lapses and playing a full 40 minutes — a 13-0 second-half run by then-No. 10 Kansas State Saturday allowed them to beat the Cyclones — and forward Craig Brackins believes preventing those runs against a team that feeds off them is key.
“If you stay calm with Missouri, that is your best bet than speed yourself up to their game because I don’t think anyone is as fast as Missouri up and down because that is how they want to play,” Brackins said.
McDermott doesn’t want the Cyclones to hurry when facing the Tigers’ press. At the same time, he doesn’t want ISU to walk the ball up the floor because a passive approach won’t work either.
“You have to be able to attack the pressure,” McDermott said. “If you are not aggressive with the attack, it just fuels the fire. You have to pick your spots and attack and try to score on them as much you can.”
It’s a middle ground that McDermott wants his team to be aggressive with, whether it’s taking advantage of weaknesses in the press or converting 2-on-1 opportunities that arise when the Cyclones break it.
And the only way for ISU to do it, Brackins said, is if the Cyclones know what they’re doing each time they have the ball.
“You have to take it slow,” Brackins said. “What I mean is just thinking everything through. You can’t make passes throwing it around and making wild passes because that is what they want.”
Bobby La Gesse can be reached at (515) 663-6929 or rlagesse@amestrib.com.
Info Box
Iowa State at Missouri
When: 6:30 p.m., tonight
Where: Mizzou Arena
TV: WOI
Radio: 105.1 KCCQ
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